Henryetta Public Library

The idea for the Henryetta Public Library began in 1904 when an interested group of citizens, known as the Bide-a-Wee Club, formed to improve the civic life of the community. The Henryetta Public Library serves local and surrounding area patrons. We look forward to having you and your family come by and check us out.

Books & MediaWe have a large selection of media and areas, including:

Audiobooks

Children’s DVDs

Educational DVDs

Fiction

Junior Section for the children

Magazines

Nonfiction

Oklahoma Section with books about Oklahoma or by Oklahoma authors

Regular print and large print books

Young Adult Area for the teens

Public ComputersWe have 10 public computers open to members of the public for 1 hour a day. The Library provides the service of making copies and sending faxes for people. We have WiFi, and several people bring their laptops and other devices in to use this free service.

MicrofilmWe have the following on microfilm:

Dewar News, May 1924 - November 1925

Dustin Dispatch, 1904 - 1912

Henryetta Free-Lance, starting in 1903

Kusa Industrial November, 1915 - January 1920

OK Citizen, 1994 - 2004

The Henryetta Standard, 1906 - 1924

GenealogyThe library recently added the Library Edition of the Ancestry website to its genealogy section. This service is free to the public. The only charge is if they make any copies, which are $0.20 per page.

Summer Reading ProgramThe library provides a Summer Reading Program for 1st through 5th graders where they can read most of the summer for prizes and can attend 6 programs at the Civic Center (1 each week for 6 weeks). There is also a program for 6th, 7th and 8th graders that provides prizes for those who read throughout the summer.

Book SaleWe have an ongoing book sale to generate funds for the library. The books are used books donated by people in the community. We always disclose that we use what donations what we can in the library and the rest are put in our sale.

Obtaining a Library CardTo get a library card, a person must have 1 of the following:

Photo identification (ID) with their current living address Photo ID with a current gas, water or electric bill

There is no charge for residents who live in Okmulgee County. There is a $6 per year charge for members outside of Okmulgee County.

Meeting RoomsWe have a room upstairs at the library that is used occasionally for meetings, usually by attorneys coming from Tulsa and Oklahoma City who are meeting halfway to take depositions. It is also used by different organizations wishing to meet at a central location. We also have some counselors who meet with clients either upstairs or in the Young Adult Area.

DonationsWe have people who donate to the library in the form of an "In Memory Of" or "In Honor Of" a friend or family member. This money is used to purchase special books, and a bookplate is placed in the front of that book stating who purchased it and for whom it was purchased.

Library Staff & BoardThe Library Director at this time is Joann Hott, and her assistant is Kathy Crosby. You can find information regarding the Library Board at our Library Board page.

BeginningsThe idea for the Henryetta Public Library began in 1904 when an interested group of citizens, known as the Bide-a-Wee Club, formed to improve the civic life of the community. In 1905, it reorganized as the Library Club with the sole purpose of establishing a public library.The library was soon established in a little 3-room building on the corner of 6th and Trudgeon, built by W.B. Hudson as a private high school run by Mrs. Hudson. $1 a year was charged for library cards, and teachers at the school shelved and circulated the books.

Our First Library BoardIn 1910 the library came under the jurisdiction of the city and appointed a library board consisting of:

Mrs. J.W. Dorsey

Mrs. H.C. Fellows

Mrs. J.P. Fowler

Mrs. W.B. Hudson

Mrs. H.G. Woodrow

In 1920, it became a free public library supported by public funds and moved to the Boy Scout building on Trudgeon Street.The first building designed and built as a public library building was built in 1924 at a cost of $8,095 on the northwest corner of 6th and Division Streets. It was a "butterfly plan," designed by Raymond Kerr, architect, and Mrs. Francis Threadgill, librarian. The library remained in the building until 1966.When the United States Post Office planned a new building on 5th and Division, the City of Henryetta began making inquiries and requests regarding the procurement of the building to use as a library. In 1965, the federal government donated the building and land to the City of Henryetta with the stipulation that it be used as an educational facility for at least 20 years.The librarian, Mrs. Grover Bynum, City Manager, Richard Curry, and Earl Wells, along with representatives from the Tulsa Library and the Oklahoma State Library began making plans for renovation of the Post Office building. The committee submitted a proposal to the State Library that was approved for a $7,000 matching funds grant to pay for the renovations, furniture and new shelving. Approximately 10 months of hard work and $14,000 brought the building up to the standards set by the requirements of the grant.The library's 17,000 books were moved into the new facility in January of 1966 and opened shortly thereafter. The Library celebrated National Library Week, April 17 - 23, 1966, with a week-long celebration.The formal Grand Opening occurred on June 11 and 12, 1966, and included an art show in cooperation with the local Art Association. Retiring Library Board members, Earl Wells and James Watzke, were honored at the June 12 open house celebration. Earl Wells served on the Library Board from 1922 until 1966 and spearheaded the renovations on the new library building. James Watzke served from 1937 to 1965. All other past and present board members were also honored at the open house.The Henryetta Public Library is still located on the northeast corner of 6th and Main Streets in the old Post Office building built in 1935. Many changes and additions have been made in the 33 years since it moved to this location. In the 1980s the Friends of the Library group raised money to replace the original windows with new double-paned, bronze reflective glass windows. In 1996, a donation from Miss Kathryn Boerstler enabled the library to purchase aluminum mini blinds for all of the windows to cut down on the glare from the afternoon sun and to prolong the life of the books on the shelves.Our first computer to be available to the public also joined the library in 1996, along with access to the internet (the worldwide web). Gregory Rodriguez, former Henryetta citizen, initially generated fund raising and community interest in computers in the library and a computer was purchased with contributions from First Family Federal Credit Union, First National Bank, and many interested citizens. We now have 5 computers available to the public. We have internet access via a T1 line as 1 of 5 public access sites for the Okmulgee County Electronic Village (OCEV), a county wide coalition of business, industry, and private and civic organizations, to provide electronic access to our county.We are currently in the process of putting our card catalog on computer; a project made possible by the generous donations and continued support of American Exchange Bank. We will soon bid goodbye to our card catalog and begin doing circulation and cataloging directly on the computer.

Contact Us

JoAnn HottLibrarianThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

115 S 4th StreetHenryetta, OK 74437Phone: (918) 652-7377

Library Board Members

Robin Lollis, President (Ward #4)Term expires: March 2021

Nora Donathan, SecretaryTerm expires: March 2027

Barbara Beymer, Ward #2Term expires: March 2020

Jacci Lackey, Ward #1Term expires: March 2022

Glenda Mason, Ward #3Term expires: March 2020

Library Board Regular Meetings:5 p.m. on the 2nd Monday of every February, May, August, and NovemberHenryetta Public Library518 W Main StreetHenryetta, OK 74437